Choosing new exterior paint colors for your home

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Published Date 4/25/2024

When it comes to curb appeal, there are things you can do to update your house. New landscaping. New roofing. New siding. But one of the most cost-efficient and lasting improvements you can make is to repaint it.

The Spruce’s Sheila Kim offers tips on how to choose the right colors, having spoken with experts so you can love your home's exterior color for years to come. “When it comes to choosing a paint color, it's important to think about the existing cladding and roofing materials,” she says. Benjamin Moore’s Hannah Yeo suggests conducting a thorough visual assessment of surfaces not slated for painting like the roof, brick, or stones.

"Choose hues that harmonize with and unify these different surfaces," she says, recommending trying white for exterior walls and a green hue for window trim. The latter elegantly accentuates a roof color with earthy undertones.

If color is your thing, doors and shutters are a good place to have fun with it. “Colorful doors often top wish lists for homeowners wanting to infuse playful hues into their exterior space without overwhelming the color balance of the home,” says Valpar’s Sue Kim. Yeo agrees, advising to ensure that the hue shares or complements the undertones of other colors used in the exterior.

Architectural style counts. It can often help point homeowners in the general direction of the ideal exterior color scheme. Period style or contemporary? “Contemporary homes painted rather than clad in timber or brick might fare best in an equally minimal white, black, or gray. Arts & Crafts style houses can sport several different types of palettes ranging from earthy to cheery. And a Tudor revival home tends to call for brown tones,” says Kim. And Yeo points to Benjamin Moore’s rich “Tudor Brown” color when used against white walls will help accentuate the period style’s distinctive architectural features.

Gray tones transcend trends and time periods and complement a wide range of building materials. Creamy white with warmer undertones can be used for a softer, more welcoming alternative to stark white — a modern take on a timeless staple. “Warm neutrals bring a level of comfortable sophistication and have staying power for years to come,” HGTV’s color expert Ashley Banbury says.

White exteriors with dark trim, which combined create a crisp and clean aesthetic, and incorporation of browns and caramels are an excellent place to start and can stand the test of time — still neutral and very much a part of nature.

The context of the neighborhood is also a consideration, especially when building a new home or repainting the one you have. Stark minimalist construction can be considered either an eyesore or a bold new statement in a historic neighborhood full of turn-of-the-century period houses.

“Whether it's the verdant greenery, the azure coastline, or the hues of neighboring houses, observe your surroundings and take note of the colors enveloping the home,” Yeo says, suggesting colors that will blend well with the similar undertones to those surroundings. "Opt for complementary colors that are opposite on the color wheel to make your house stand out.”

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